Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Werewolf Tribal Commander?

Unfortunately, I feel Wizards dropped the ball for commander tribal players by choosing not to print a legendary werewolf in Innistrad block. They bring in these creatures that are really flavorful and fun to play with in a casual setting and then fail to give us a commander to lead them? I'm hoping they rectify this when the commander product comes out next month, but I'm not holding my breath.

But hey, that's not going to get me down. I'm still going to build a Werewolf/wolf themed deck based around these guys. Now the questions start: Who will lead the pack?

Colors:
Red and Green are obvious for this deck as the Innistrad werewolves were red and green, but there are some other cards that are wolf or werewolf like that I'm going to take a look at.

Who are our choices?

Borborygmos- whenever he deals damage to an opponent, gives all my guys a +1/+1 counter. Costs 7 for a 6/7. He is a solid maybe for this deck.

Radha, Heir to Keld- Llanowar elf-ish can ramp to 4th mana on turn 3. Also can give me 2 mana during my attack phase...  I'll set her aside as a maybe.

Rosheen Meanderer- I don't think I'll be running many x spells.

Stonebrow, Krosan Hero- 5 mana 4/4 attacks as a 6/6 has trample. Also gives attacking creatures with trample +2/+2. He's my favorite of them so far.

Ulasht, the Hate Seed- Interesting choice. I don't want non wolf tokens, nor do I really want to deal with a lot of +1/+1 counters running around. ... out, thought I could see other people choosing it.

Wort, the Raidmother- kinda more build around me then what I want to see.

My choice Stonebrow, Krosan Hero.

Werewolves- yeah, I'm going to run them all.
1) Afflicted Deserter - Covers some artifact destruction.
2) Daybreak Ranger - Good at helping to remove problem creatures.
3) Gatstaf Shepherd - 3/3 attacker with evasion.
4) Grizzled Outcasts - 7/7 even decent size for commander.
5) Hanweir Watchkeep - Defender to must attacker, 5/5 will take chunks of damage.
6) Hinterland Hermit - Forces blockers
7) Huntmaster of the Fells - Wants to flip as often as possible.
8) Instigator Gang - Pumps the team, alot when flipped.
9) Kruin Outlaw - Makes the team harder to block.
10) Lambholt Elder - Get in there for possible card draw.
11) Mayor of Avabruck - Pumps the team and makes tokens.
12) Mondronen Shaman - Punishes players for playing.
13) Reckless Waif - aggressive starter.
14) Scorned Villager - Used to ramp a little
15) Tormented Pariah - 6/4 vanilla
16) Ulvenwald Mystics - regenerate, meh
17) Village Ironsmith - 3/1 first strike, could be early game deterrent.
18) Villagers of Estwald - Vanilla, good on early defence

19) Wolfbitten Captive - early aggression
I'm at 19 creatures, I'm envisioning a deck with around 40 creatures/creature makers. 

Wolves:
20) Immerwolf - Again, pumps the team, keeps werewolves from changing back.
21) Pyreheart Wolf - Gives the team evasion, undying isn't a terrible mechanic either.
22) Sacred Wolf - Hexproof is fun.
23) Wandering Wolf - Add some pump and it gets hard to block.
24) Wolfir Avenger - blocker out of nowhere that regenerates.
25) Wolfir Silverheart- +4/+4 is a pretty big deal.
26) Young Wolf - Another undying.
27) Feral Ridgewolf - starts out with trample, nice
28) Master of the Wild Hunt- makes tokens, can use wolves to fight.
29) Feed the Pack- Sac 1 creature to make more.
30) Howl of the Night Pack - one time create a lot of wolves.
31) Wolfbriar Elemental - Another 1 time use to make a lot of wolves.
32) Chameleon Colossus - A werewolf/wolf that doubles in size and is pro black.
33) Taurean Mauler - a growing werewolf
34) Game-Trail Changeling- starts with trample

Off tribe creatures:
35) Craterhoof Behemoth - Overrun dude
36) Brawn - gives trample from the yard
37) Anger- Gives haste from the yard
38) Urabrask the Hidden- gives all my creatures haste
39) Scab-Clan Mauler - for being one of my favorite RG creatures. maybe a werewolf will bite him.
40) Boartusk Liege - for pumping the team some more.

Pumping permanents.
41) Sarkhan Vol - Grants haste in one of the coolest ways.
42) Primal Rage - Enchantment granting trample.
43) Fires of Yavimaya - Haste again.
Over Runs:
44) Full Moon’s Rise - grants many creatures trample and sac to save from removal.
45) Beastmaster Ascension- gives creatures I control +5/+5 eventually
46) Eldrazi Monument - I hope there is enough token generation to handle it
47) Garruk Wildspeaker - early on it'll excel mana. Then overrun
48) Triumph of the Hordes - This will kill someone outright.
49) Overwhelming Stampede - Another overrun effect.
50) Overrun - gotta play the original.

Red spells:
51)Bonfire of the Damned - This is my new go to red removal spell. Even paying full cost is a huge effect for its cost.
52)Red Sun's Zenith - The removal cause and reusability are why I want to play this.
53)Alpha Brawl - will often clear someones creature horde. Also just feels very on theme to me.
54)Increasing Vengeance- There is always a fun spell to copy somewhere.

Fog effects: This deck will tap out alot, fog will save from the counterattack.
55)Moonmist- The obvious on theme spell.
56)Serene Sunset- Prevents them from dealing, not receiving damage
57)Blunt the Assault - lets gains some life while we are at it.
58)Respite- more the same
59)Tanglesap- offencive fog, most of our guys will have trample.

Lands:
60-68)Copperline Gorge, Fire-Lit Thicket, Grove of the Burnwillows, Gruul Turf, Highland Weald, Kazandu Refuge, Rootbound Crag, Shivan Oasis, and Stomping Ground- Assorted 2 color lands 
69&70)Wooded Foothills, Mountain Valley- Fetching forest or mountain

71)Kessig Wolf Run- Can be used as a repeated fireball, or can just give enough to get damage though. Trample is nice.
72)Skarrg, the Rage Pits- trample is key here. +1/+1 is always fair though.
73)Raging Ravine- Fits in with the aggressive nature of the deck
74)Treetop Village- Attacks as a 5/5 with our general out.

13 forest and 12 mountain finish us out.

3 comments:

  1. I agree that Stonebrow is probably the right choice for general here. He's just too cool with Full Moon's Rise and a bunch of Werewolves!

    As for the Legendary Werewolf, MaRo said they really wanted to print one, but the DFC rules and the Legendary rules were too difficult to reconcille in the time they had to design the set.

    I don't know what exactly the issue was, but if MaRo says he really wanted to print a card but rules issues wouldn't let him... I believe him. WotC clearly knew players were expecting a Werewolf Legend, and frankly it just makes sense that if they knew it's what players wanted, the only reason they wouldn't deliver on those expectations is that they simply COULDN'T.

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  2. Have you considered Kessig Cage Breakers for one of the creature slots. It provides a repeatable way to get a decent number of wolf tokens on the field.

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  3. love the article and the way you list the cards. id love to see your ideas for a black red vampire tribal deck. mail me at scottie.caldwell33@gmail.com

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